[CPAP] Where to get a funded CPAP machine for health care card holder in VIC

[babynurse]

Hello 

My mum was just diagnosed with severe OSA AHI=63. She has been told by the current hospital that they only fund the CPAP machine for pensioner, not Health Care Card holder. Mum is not a pensioner, and she cannot afford to self fund the machine herself. 

Our friend has got a free machine a couple of years ago from The Alfred Hospital as a HCC holder. We are not sure if they are still running the programme for just HCC holder anymore.

Please let me know here if any of you have got a free machine recently from any public hospital in Melbourne.

Thanks heaps

[staceyburke]

You might look at Supplier #2 at the top of this site (suppliers list). They sell slightly used machines and ship internationally. I purchased used from them (1 month old) and they are an excellent company and excellent machine. I would recommend them and the ResMed 10s autoset machine.

[Sleeprider]

It is often cheaper (sometimes substantially so) to purchase a machine from the United States rather than Australia. See the Apnea Board Supplier List which includes a number of AU suppliers. You should call them to ask how reimbursement is managed for HCC holders, then decide if it is less expensive to a device from a U.S. supplier. We highly recommend the use of the Resmed Airsense 10 Autoset or Autoset For Her which is available from Supplier #2 which has a longstanding good reputation for exports to AU and warranty services. There are currently 42 Resmed Airsense 10 Autoset machines available from Supplier #2 lightly used for $389 USD or new for $589 USD.

Some clinics will try to tell you it is illegal to import a machine - it is not. Many American suppliers require a prescription which can be provided by your GP. When comparing prices take into account the current exchange rate and shipping charges. CPAP is GST exempt, but will likely attract a Customs fee (currently around $80.00).

[kappa]

Hi babynurse,

Looks like public health CPAP supply here in Victoria is really messed up compared to some other states.

According to this submission from the Australasian Sleep Association to a Parliamentary Inquiry on Sleep Health Awareness in Australia early last year, in Victoria funding is "provided through individual public hospitals/health service networks and there is no co-ordinated state-wide approach or consistency". So it might be necessary to call around to different hospital networks to see if they can help... and even then there might be a significant waiting list.

It looks like with a health care card your mum may be able to get $163/year from the Essential Medical Equipment Payment scheme, so that should cover a significant portion of the cost (around 50% of the cost of a locally sourced ResMed AirSense 10 auto & mask with 5 year warranty amortized over 5 years, more if you buy from the US). Although I understand people buying from the US I'm not convinced it's worthwhile as Australian Consumer Law gives you so many more rights and local service/warranty is worth something... (Our AirSense 10 auto motor got noisy after a couple of years and we immediately got a loan unit and our original unit back repaired after a few weeks).